Quote:
Originally Posted by CFECO
Air-conditioning requires a mechanical compressor, which you could drive off your drive motor, but instead you want to run an AC compressor off of DC current...? I don't know of any DC powered refrigeration units except for small Ice Chest coolers. Standard automotive AC is a "Split system"...
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The inverter type air conditioners use a rectifier to change the AC to DC then a PWM circuit to generate the varying frequency AC used to vary the compressor speed.
I was suggesting that if using one of these inverter systems it may be possible to put DC direct to the PWM circuit bypassing the rectifier section.
Air conditioner inverter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Running an A/C compressor from the cars drive motor will probably result in the same/similar overheads as the motor draws more kw/H to turn when loaded by the A/C compressor. Also driving the A/C compressor from the drive motor means that it only operates whilst moving (unless the motor is set to idle).
Running the compressor via the A/C's own PWM circuit direct from the traction pack (batteries) would allow it to run whenever needed. This would be very important for me as my daily commute is in very stop/go traffic with long periods waiting for traffic to clear and with no A/C it would get hot real quick. (During summer there are many days that the outdoor temperature goes over 110F).
So i saw the advantages as :
Runs when needed.
Doesn't rob the drive motor of capacity. (A 20hp motor doesn't have a 3hp load on it)
Inverter technology units use constantly variable drive so no large on/off loads which may be felt through reduced drive motor output. (I can feel the impact of the A/C switching on and off even on cars running on internal combustion)
Is reverse cycle so it solves the heating and the cooling for the vehicle.
May be able to pre-heat/cool the car whilst still in the garage and connected to the mains.
Another advantage is that the inverter systems seem amazingly quiet. My residential A/C is whisper quiet, both internal and external units. Whereas the A/C on my ICE car has a fan that roars so loud in operation it almost drowns out the ICE noise, when standing at the front of the vehicle.
With everyone making suggestions on a heating system i just thought that the inverter A/C system was worth mentioning.